SUPPORTING SMALL ARMS AND LIGHT WEAPONS (SALW) CONTROL IN AFRICA

From locks at an armoury to an African Common Position on Small Arms Control—our project addresses the current challenges in small arms and light weapons (SALW) control in Africa from the practical to the strategic level. We assist our partners in implementing the provisions set out in relevant SALW control regimes, thereby strengthening these regimes, countering the risk of diversion and unintended explosions and increasing community security.

Our embedded advisers at the African Union (AU) and ECOWAS, and staff in Bonn provide advice and capacity-building to national, regional and international organisations. Our methods include facilitating dialogue, supporting regional training of trainers in physical security and stockpile management (PSSM), harmonising regulatory frameworks and introducing new components as needed. We also conduct mixed-methods research to analyse the impact of environmental changes on conflict and the use of SALW.

During the reporting period, we supported the AU in developing an African Common Position on Small Arms Control in preparation for the 2024 UN Programme of Action on SALW Review Conference. We continued to support PSSM through regional training courses for technical experts in the RECSA and ECOWAS regions. These courses create regional pools of trainers who can act as multipliers and train technical staff at local, national and regional levels.

With RECSA, we developed a new training module focusing on cross-cutting issues in the region. We also developed and implemented new training on the identification and tracing of weapons and continued to produce and disseminate updated SALW guides and infographics during our training activities and other events. A cornerstone of our project is an annual course in Germany where we sensitise senior representatives of African national and regional organisations to the importance of weapons and ammunition management (WAM) and how to make meaningful improvements in arms control.

Publications

bicc report

Beeck, C.

Unlocking Lessons

bicc , Bonn (2025)

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Other publications

Acharya, N., & Krötz, M., & Przybilla, H., & Wedeniwski, L.

Small Arms & Light Weapons Guide 2021.

BICC , Bonn (2021)

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Other publications

In focus: Cooperating to enhance small arms control.

BICC , Bonn (2020)

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Journal Article

Farha, J., & Krötz, M., & Mohammed, E.

More bang for their buck: Enhancing the sustainability of surplus ammunition destruction programs

(2019)

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Other publications

Acharya, N., & Krötz, M.

Training report: Physical security and stockpile management (PSSM) orientation course.

BICC , Khartoum, Sudan (2017)

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bicc Knowledge notes

Faltas, S.

Controlling small arms: Practical lessons in civilian disarmament and anti-trafficking

bicc , Bonn (2018)

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Journal Article

Isikozlu, E., & Krötz, M., & Trancart, C.

Crossing the fence: Challenges of operationalizing PSSM

(2017)

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bicc Annual report

Annual Report 2017

bicc , Bonn (2017)

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bicc Knowledge notes

Acharya, N., & Grumel, O., & Vranckx, A.

Safety first

BICC , Bonn (2016)

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bicc Policy brief

Acharya, N., & Mühlen-Schulte, A.

The final round: Combating armed actors, organized crime and wildlife trafficking

BICC , Bonn (2016)

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bicc Working paper

Alusala, N.

Lessons from small arms and weapons control initiatives in Africa

BICC , Bonn (2016)

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bicc Working paper

Richards, J.

Matching needs and resources: Small arms control initiatives in the Greater Sahel, 2015–2016

BICC , Bonn (2016)

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bicc Working paper

Breitung, C.

Evaluation of the MSAG/IPSTC train-the-trainer project in physical security and stockpile management

BICC , Bonn (2016)

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Other publications

Acharya, N., & Wiegink, N., & Idriss, S.

Civilian arms registration and marking handbook.

BICC , Bonn (2015)

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Media Products

Documentary

Keep The Safety On

Watch here

Documentary

A Call For Arms

Watch here

Documentary

Illicit weapons and the threat of armed violence

Watch here

Photo publication

"In focus: Cooperating to enhance small arms control"

See here

Websites

Website

Interactive Small Arms and Light Weapons Guide  

Read on

Website

AU Silencing the Guns Plan of Action database 

Read on

Map

SALW control in Africa: Organisations, treaties and instruments

Read on

Project Team

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Joseph Farha

Project leader

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Christine Beeck

Advisor

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David Häfner

Advisor

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Lena Guesnet

Researcher \ Project Coordinator

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Matthias Krötz

Technical Advisor

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Pinar Rey

Project Assistant

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Rebecca Navarro

Web Programming & Databases \ Researcher

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Dr Lamis Saleh

Senior Researcher

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Louai Haddad

Web Programming & Databases

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Elvan Isikozlu

Senior Management \ Head of Advice and Scientific Transfer

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Lars Wirkus

Senior Management \ Head of Research Infrastructure and Data

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Project Partners

 

 

 

 

Funded By

Duration of Project

April 2021 until March 2024